NCAA Basketball: 10 mid-major gems to watch for 2018-19

NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 24: A detailed view of a Wilson Basketball with a NCAA March Madness logo on it during the first half between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Florida Gators during the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament East Regional at Madison Square Garden on March 24, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

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WICHITA, KS – NOVEMBER 13: Guard Aaron Wheler #2 of the Charleston Southern Buccaneers drives to the basket against guard Evan Wessel #3 of the Wichita State Shockers during the first half on November 13, 2015 at Charles Koch Arena in Wichita, Kansas. Wichita State defeated Charleston Southern 88-63. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /

Christian Keeling-Jr. – Charleston Southern

Keeling is a 6-4 guard from Augustana, GA that is Charleston Southern’s leading scorer and rebounder at just 6-4. He arrived in Charleston after being named the Georgia Basketball Player of the Year. He is a jack of all trades for the Buccaneers and has been since day one.

Keeling had one of the most impressive seasons in Big South history. He averaged 17.3 points and 7.1 rebounds, shooting 45.8% from the field and 78% from the free throw line. He scored at least 15 points in 19 games. Keeling had a season-high 33 points in a win over Radford and recorded five double-doubles. The accolades rolled in for Keeling as he was named the Big South Freshman of the Week seven times and was the only freshman in the country to lead his team in both scoring and rebounding.

After missing the first three games of the year last season, he proceeded to score 10 or more points in 27 of the 28 games in which he played, he scored nine points in the next to last game of the season against Presbyterian. He scored 20 or more in 10 of those games, including a season-high 31 points in a win over eventual conference tournament champion Radford. A look at Keeling’s numbers last year compared to his freshman season shows that even though the points and the volume of shots remained the same, 17.6 compared to 17.3 with 400 shots in 2017 and 397 last season his percentages took a dip. He shot 42.6% from the field last year and discovered a three-point shot, taking 143, nearly double the amount he took as a freshman, but he only made 31% of his attempts.

If Keeling can rediscover his shooting touch and be more efficient from behind the line, 20 points per game, to with 5-7 rebounds isn’t out of the question, making him one of the better players in the Big South.

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